An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise 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 every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
