An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for 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 MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
