An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport use to communication habits.
