A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
