An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
