A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including transport use to communication habits.
