A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
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 Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
