An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
