A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
