Minister Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Advised to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
