An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
