A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
