An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence 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, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including transport usage to communication habits.
