A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.