A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned 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 responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
