A defence official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
