An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing 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 concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
