An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, 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 restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
