A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
