A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
