An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
