Government Official States MoD Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, including transport use to communication practices.
