An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
