A defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
