A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
