A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
