A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
