A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions habits.
