Minister States Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Instructed to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
