A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
