An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
