A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
