A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
