A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
