An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
