A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
