An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
