A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
