A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
