An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
