A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, including transport usage to communication habits.
