An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport use to communication habits.
