A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
