A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
