An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
