A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
