Minister Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, as Staff Advised to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of official operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
