A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated 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 fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict 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 wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
