A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent 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 MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any 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 anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
