An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
