An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
