An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
