A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned 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 cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
