A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
