An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring 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 broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
