A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
