A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
