An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
