An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
