A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones 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 staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
