An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport use to communication habits.
