A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions habits.
