An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport use to communication practices.
