An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence 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 intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
