An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China 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 kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
