A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
