An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
