A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss 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 modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
