A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to 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 growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
