A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
