An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned 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’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries 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 transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
