Minister Confirms Ministry of Defence Looking at Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Instructed to Refrain from Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence 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 Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport use to communication habits.
