An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
