An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent 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 Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions 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 confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including transport usage to communication practices.
