A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
