Government Official Confirms MoD Investigating Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Advised to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.
An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, from transport use to communication habits.