An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But 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 technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
