An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
