A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of 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 prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
