An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
