An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport use to communication habits.
