An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
