A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
