An defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
