Minister Confirms MoD Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Staff Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
