An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
