A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether 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 classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
