An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if 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 vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
