A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to communication practices.
