A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
