An defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
