An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.