An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
