A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
