A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries 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 disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
