A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
