An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
