Minister Confirms MoD Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
