An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
