An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent 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 is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
