An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
