An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
