An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
