A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
