An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of government operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
