An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
