A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
