Government Official Says MoD Examining Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Advised to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport use to communication habits.
