An defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, including transport use to discussions practices.
