An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
