A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations 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 wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
