An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
