A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
