A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
