A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from transport use to communication habits.
