Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
