An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
