A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
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 classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
