An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
