A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
