A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
