A defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
