An defence official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if 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 devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.
