An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
