A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, including transport use to communication practices.
