A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
