A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
