A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
