A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
