An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
