A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
