A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
