An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
