A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
