A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
