An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
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 Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader 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-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
