Government Official Confirms MoD Examining Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Staff Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
