An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from transport use to communication habits.
