Minister Confirms Ministry of Defence Examining Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Staff Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has 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 traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
