A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including transport use to discussions practices.
