An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
