An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
