An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
