A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent 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 not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
