A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to communication habits.
