A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
