A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens 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 non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
