An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
