An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving 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 classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise 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 existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including transport use to communication practices.
