An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
