An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
