A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
