An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
