An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
