Minister States MoD Looking at Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Staff Instructed to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
