An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
