An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government operations, including transport usage to communication practices.
