An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
