A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
