A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
