An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
