A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
