An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
