A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.