An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
