A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
