An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
