A defence official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
