A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
