An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
