Government Official Confirms Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Instructed to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.
An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s 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 all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
