An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
