Minister States MoD Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Staff Instructed to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.

An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in any vehicles.

Security Guidance for MoD Staff

In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.

He said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.

Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.

But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.

When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Wider Defence Context

This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.

The wider security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.