A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
