An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles 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 people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
