An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, including transport usage to discussions practices.
