An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
