An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
