An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
