An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, including transport usage to communication practices.
