An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
