A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
