A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
