An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
