An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, including transport usage to communication habits.
