An defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
