A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
