Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Advised to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.

An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.

Safety Advice for MoD Personnel

During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.

He stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.

Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.

However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.

After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”

Wider Security Context

This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.

Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.

The wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.