A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
