Government Official Says MoD Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Staff Told to Refrain from Secret Talk in Cars.

A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.

Safety Advice for MoD Personnel

During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.

He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.

Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.

But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.

After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”

Wider Security Context

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

Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.

The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.