Minister States Ministry of Defence Investigating Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Staff Advised to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But 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, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
