A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
