An defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
