A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
