A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
