Government Official Confirms Ministry of Defence Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of government operations, including transport usage to communication practices.
