An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
