An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China 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 “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from transport use to communication practices.
