A defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries 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 disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
