An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted 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 Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of official operations, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
