An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
