A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
