A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
