An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
