An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
