Government Official Says MoD Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Advised to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
