A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, including transport use to communication practices.
