A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
