An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
