Minister Confirms MoD Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.

A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.

Security Advice for MoD Personnel

In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.

The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.

We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.

But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.

When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”

Wider Security Context

The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.

The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.