A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
