An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
