An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
