A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
