A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions habits.
