A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, from transport use to communication practices.
