An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official activities, including transport usage to communication habits.
