An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, 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 kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, including transport use to discussions habits.
