A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
