A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
