An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
