A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
