A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
