A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone 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 moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
