A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, including transport use to discussions practices.
