An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including transport use to communication habits.
