An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
