A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
