An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
