A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
