An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, including transport usage to discussions practices.
