A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
