A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
