A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
