A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.