Government Official States MoD Looking at Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Staff Advised to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including transport use to communication practices.
