An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
