An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
