A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
