A defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
