A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
