A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
