An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
