An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader 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 enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
