A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed 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, but stressed that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, including transport use to discussions habits.
