Minister Says MoD Looking at Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks 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 prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
