A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.