An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
