An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
