A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
