An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
