An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if 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 car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to communication habits.