Minister Confirms Ministry of Defence Investigating Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Instructed to Refrain from Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.
