An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
