A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
