A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
