Government Official Says MoD Investigating Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, as Staff Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
