An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving 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 conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
