A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles 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 people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.