A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official operations, from transport use to communication practices.
