A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including transport use to communication practices.
