An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, 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 vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions habits.
