An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
