An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
