A defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, including transport usage to communication practices.
