A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD 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 staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
