An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
