Minister Says MoD Looking at Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Staff Advised to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
