An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports 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 bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including transport use to discussions habits.
