A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence 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 public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
