A defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, including transport usage to communication habits.
