An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
