An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
