An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
