An defense official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
