Government Official Says MoD Investigating Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.