An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
