An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles 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 people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
