An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
