A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
