Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Staff Advised to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
