Government Official Confirms MoD Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Staff Advised to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
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 vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
