An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
