An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
