Minister States MoD Investigating Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Staff Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.