An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But 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 MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
