An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
