An defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
