An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations 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 ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
