An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
