An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
