An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
