An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
