An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence 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, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence 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 Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
