A defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
