An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
