A defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet 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 Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
