An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
