A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones 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 to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
