An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
