An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
