An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is 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 every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
