A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows 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 disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
