An defense official has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government operations, including transport use to discussions practices.
