A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
