A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
