An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
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 vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
