A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
