A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, including transport use to communication habits.
