An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
