Government Official Says MoD Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Staff Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
