A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
