A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
