An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
