A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving 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 car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
