A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, including transport use to communication habits.
