An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in 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 car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
