A defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
