An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
