🔗 Share this article

An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.

Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel

During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese cars.

He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.

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

But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.

When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”

Broader Defence Background

The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.

Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.

The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.