A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
Maya Chen is a freelance writer and urban enthusiast with a passion for documenting city life and cultural shifts.
