An defence minister 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 avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
