A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
