An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China 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 vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions habits.
