An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
