A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
