A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
