A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
