A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
