A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in 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, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
