An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations 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 ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
