Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Staff Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car 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 classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.
