A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
