An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, including transport use to discussions habits.
