An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
