A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
