A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.
