An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
