An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including transport use to communication practices.
