An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
