A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to 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 threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
