An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
