Minister Says Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
