An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
