A defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
