A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
