An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
