An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
