A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including transport use to discussions habits.
