An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
