An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
