A defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations 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 wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
