An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single 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 put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
