An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport use to communication practices.
