A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
