A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
