A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
