A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, including transport use to discussions practices.
