A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
