An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including transport use to discussions practices.
