A defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
