Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Examining Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
