An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
