An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent 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 devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
