A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
