A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
