An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
