A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed 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 account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
