An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.
