A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
