Minister Confirms Ministry of Defence Examining Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including transport use to discussions practices.