An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
