Minister Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
