A defense official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The 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 allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
