Government Official Says MoD Examining Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
