A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.