Minister Says MoD Investigating Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Staff Instructed to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
