An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
