An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
