An defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
