An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
