An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent 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 to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.
