An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
