A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
