Government Official Confirms MoD Looking at Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
