A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
