A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones 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 staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
