An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
