An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
