A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern 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.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
