An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
