An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection 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 car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
