A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars 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 people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him 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 present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to communication habits.
