An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
