A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
