A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
