An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet 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 driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
