A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating 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 dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, including transport use to discussions habits.
