A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
