An defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
