A defence official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
