A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
