An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
