An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
