An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However 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 Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
