A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
