An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, including transport use to communication practices.
