Minister States MoD Investigating Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Staff Told to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.

An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.

Safety Guidance for MoD Staff

During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.

The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.

We have 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, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.

After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Defence Context

This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.

Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.

The wider security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.