An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, 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 prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
