A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
