An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
