An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
