A defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
