An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
