Government Official Says MoD Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Instructed to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.

A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.

Security Advice for Defence Personnel

In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.

The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.

Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.

But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.

When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”

Wider Security Context

This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.

Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.

This broader security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.