A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
