A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
