A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
