An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport use to communication habits.
