A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
