Government Official States Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret 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 ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, from transport use to communication practices.
