A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
