An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
