A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
