A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
