Government Official Says MoD Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Advised to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.

A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.

Security Guidance for MoD Staff

In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.

The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.

We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.

However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.

When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Defence Background

This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.

Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.

This wider defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official operations, from transport use to communication habits.