An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection 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 people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
