A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However 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 car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
