An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
