Government Official Says MoD Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Advised to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
