An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned 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 exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
