A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
