An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
