A defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent 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 China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
