A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
