An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
