A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including transport use to discussions habits.
