A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, including transport usage to communication habits.
