A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
