A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
