An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
