An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD 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 not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
