Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Examining Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Instructed to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
