A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
