A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has 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 Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
