Minister States MoD Investigating Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Staff Instructed to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
