Government Official States Ministry of Defence Examining Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
