An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
