An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of 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 sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
