A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
