An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise 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 replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
