An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
