An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for 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 technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
