An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for 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 not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
