A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
