An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
