A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
