Minister Confirms MoD Examining Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
