A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
