An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
