A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
