An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
