Minister Says Ministry of Defence Investigating Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.