A defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
