An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
