An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, including transport use to communication practices.
