Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
