A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
