An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
