A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
