An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
