An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
