An defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official activities, including transport use to communication habits.
