A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But 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 technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including transport use to communication habits.
