A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
