An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
