A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
