A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
