A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
