An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However 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 MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
