A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
