An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, including transport usage to communication practices.
