An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
