An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
