A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
