A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
