A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
