A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security 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 tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
