A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
