A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.