An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
