A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
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 Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
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 enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
