An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions habits.
