A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
