A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
