An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport use to communication practices.
