An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
