Government Official Confirms Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Staff Instructed to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
