An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, including transport usage to discussions practices.
