A defense official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government operations, including transport use to discussions practices.