A defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
