An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
