An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
