An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
