An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In 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 travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause 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 government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
