A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles 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 MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
