A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
