An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
