A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
