An defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
