Minister Says MoD Investigating Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Staff Instructed to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
