A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent 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 to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
